Venting valve for a beverage filler



United States Patent 01 hoe 3,520,321 Patented July 14, 1970 3,520,321VENTING VALVE FOR A BEVERAGE FILLER Sigmund P. Skoli, Elmwood Park,Chester J. Witt, Deerfield, and Harry G. Mojonnier, River Forest, Ill.,assignors to Mojonnier Bros. Co., Chicago, 111., a corporation ofIllinois Filed Dec. 20, 1967, Ser. No. 692,233 Int. Cl. Gd 16/06; 1365b31/00; B67d 5/54 US. Cl. 137-116 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREPressure controlling apparatus for a beverage filler in which two valvebodies are arranged to confine a flexible diaphragm therebetween, one ofthe valve bodies having a vent opening and respective connections withthe gas space of the filler and with a source of gas under pressure anda channel joining these connections. The second valve body contains abiasing spring for urging the diaphram into closing relationship withthe vent opening. A check-valve controlled line connects the secondvalve body with the gas source connections of the first valve body toemploy the pressure of said source additively with the biasing springand independently of the gas space pressure of the filler.

This invention relates generally to the art of packaging carbonatedbeverages and more particularly to apparatus for controlling the gaspressure in a filler bowl.

Early fillers were designed to introduce only carbonated water into theindividual containers, the flavored syrup being filled in a separate,preliminary step. In this type of apparatus, a relief valve of thediaphragm type was found adequate for venting to the atmosphere thosequantities of air passing into the filler from the individual containersbeing filled. However, upon the advent of apparatus designed to fill acomplete beverage liquid, a system of float-operated valves becamenecessary for alternately venting and charging the filler bowl, thelatter valve system being rugged and readily cleaned at the end of afilling run. The self-acting diaphragm relief valves employed earlierhave proved unsatisfactory for use with the complete beverage systembecause they are easily fouled with sugar solutions, are difficult towash clean, and are subject to occasional damage as a result of wateraccumulating inside the valve.

An important object of the present invention is, therefore, to provide apressure controller for beverage filling apparatus which alfords thesimplicity of a diaphragm valve with the ruggedness and cleanability offloatoperated valves.

A more general object of the invention is to provide a new and improvedpressure controller for beverage filling apparatus.

These and other objects and features of the invention will become moreapparent from a consideration of the following disclosure and drawingforming a part thereof.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view, partially in section, showing beveagefilling equipment incorporating pressure control apparatus in accordwith the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, elevational view of the pressure controllingapparatus of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a further enlarged view in central cross-section, showing thepiloted valve employed in the arrangement of FIGS. 1 and 2.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, specifically to FIG. 1, abeverage filler is shown to comprise a hollow, annular filler bowl 12which is mounted for rotation with a vertical pipe 14. A suitable numberof circularly arranged and angularly spaced filler nozzles 16 arereciprocably mounted on the filler bowl 12 in depending relationship fordelivering a carbonated beverage liquid to individual bottles 18. Thebottles 18 are supported by a platform 20 which is also mounted torotate with pipe 14.

In compliance with the principles of the present invention, a gas, suchas air or carbon dioxide, under pressure is admitted from a source 22 tothe headspace of filler bowl 12 through a pressure controller indicatedgenerally by the reference numeral 24. Advantageously, the pressurizedgas passes from the source 22 through a conventional, self-relievingpressure regulator 26, regulator 26 including an indicating pressuregauge 28, a manual adjusting handle 30 and a relief port 32. In orderthat gas source 22 and regulator 26 may be mounted in a convenientlocation away from the beverage filler 10, the connection betweencontroller 24 and regulator 26 is made by means of a rotary gland orpneumatic commutator 34. As will be appreciated, the commutator 34 ismounted on filler bowl 12 by a bracket or other similar structure, notshown.

Turning to FIG. 2, the controller 24 includes a diaphragm valve 36, acheck valve 38 and, desirably an indicating pressure gauge 40.Continuing with reference to FIG. 2 and with supplementary reference toFIG. 3, the diaphragm valve 36 comprises a first valve body 42 and asecond valve body 44 which valve bodies are clamped together by means ofa lock ring 46 to confine a flexible, elastomeric diaphragm 4*8therebetween. As is best shown in FIG. 3, the valve bodies 42 and 44 arefashioned with confronting flanges S0 and 52, and lock ring 46 is madeto take a channel-shaped cross-section for grippingly receiving theflanges 50 and 52.

The valve body 42 is drilled and tapped with an internally threaded,relatively downwardly opening passageway 54 which receives one end of acooperatively threaded pipe or conduit 56, the opposite end of conduit56 being suitably afiixed to filler bowl 12 in communication with thegas space thereof, as is shown in FIG. 2. The valve body 42 is alsodrilled and tapped with a second, relatively upwardly opening passageway58 which receives a cooperatively threaded pipe or conduit 60,passageways 54 and 58 being diametrically disposed and conduit 60leading to a T fitting 62, as is shown in FIG. 2, to communicate thepassageway 58 with the pressure regulator 26 through the check valve 38and a cooperating conduit 64. Returning to FIG. 3, the valve body 42 isfashioned with an annular channel 66 which connects the passageways 58and 54 for interchange of fluids therebetween. In addition, the valvebody 42 includes a horizontally disposed, tubular vent passageway 68which opens to the atmosphere through a conduit 70 connected therewith.

In compliance with the features of the present invention, the tubularvent passageway 68 is surrounded by a planar, annular seating land 72;and cooperatively, the valve body 42 is fabricated with a second,annular channel 74 which encompasses the seating land in peripheralcommunication with channel 66. In order that spurious quantities ofliquid will not accumulate in the vicinity of the seating land 72, theland itself is disposed generally vertically and the cooperating channel74 and diaphragm 48 are likewise disposed in generally vertical planes.

The valve body 44 is fashioned with a cylindrical cavity 76 which has anopen end facing toward valve body 42 and which contains a generallyhorizontally disposed compression spring 78 for biasing the diaphragm 48toward seating land 72 and vent opening 68. Advantageously, a compressorelement 80 includes an abbreviated, reduced diameter stern portion 82which serves as a spring locator for positioning a pressure foot portion84 in resilient engagement with the diaphragm 48. As will beappreciated, gas pressure in the space defined by the combined cavities66 and 74 may act, through the diaphragm 48, to compress spring 78 andseparate the diaphragm from seating land 72. The valve body 44additionally includes a drilled and tapped, generally downwardly openingpassageway 86 which receives the cooperatively threaded end of the pipeor conduit 88, conduit 88 being connected with a T fitting 90 situatedin fluid circuit between conduit 64 and check valve 38, as is shown inFIG. 2. Thus, the unvented side of diaphragm 48 is subjected to the sumof the pressure of spring 78 and the pressure of the gas source asregulated by regulator 26.

Continuing with reference to FIG. 2, check valve 38 comprises a valvebody 91 surrounding a valve chamber 92. A perforated disc or spider 94is aflixed in chamber 92 at the end of the check valve which iscircuitwise adjacent pipe 60. The spider 94 retains a mobile valve ball96 in the chamber 92 without obstructing the passage of fluids in thegeneral direction from conduit 64 to conduit 60. The opposite end ofchamber 92 is fashioned with a conical seat 98 which is shaped toreceive valve ball 96 in flow-terminating relationship. Accordingly,when conditions are such that there is a tendency for fluid to flow fromconduit 60 to conduit 64, the check valve 38 serves to arrest thepassage of any significant quantity of such fluid. As will beappreciated, the check valve 38 thus prevents beverage and cleaningliquids from entering gas source 22 from the filler bowl 12.

Having thus described one construction of the invention, it is importantnow to state how the illustrated embodiment operates.

With the equipment assembled in accordance with the foregoingdescriptions, operation of the beverage filler will be conditioned bymanually setting the regulator 26 at the pressure desired in filler bowl12. Commonly, this pressure will be on the order of 40-45 p.s.i.g. Withsubstantially zero pressure in the filler bowl at its initial state, gaswill flow from the source 22 through the regulator 26, the check valve38, and the confluent channels of diaphragm valve 36 into the headspaceof filler bowl 12 overlying the charge of beverage liquid.

Upon operation of the filler, the beverage liquid will be dispensed intothe bottles 18 or similar containers; and air from these containers willpass into the headspace of filler bowl 12 gradually increasing the gaspressure therein. When the gas pressure in the filler bowl exceeds thepressure established at regulator 26, check valve 38 will close,preventing back flow toward the regulator. Then when the pressure in thefiller bowl exceeds the combined pressure of spring 78 and the gaspressure of regulator 26, diaphragm 48 will move away from the seatingland 72, opening the vent tube 68 and allowing the excess gas to escapeto the atmosphere. This venting action will continue until the pressurein the filler bowl diminishes to a level below the combined force ofspring 78 and the biasing gas pressure from regulator 26. At this point,diaphragm 48 will move into sealing engagement with seating land 72,terminating the venting action. Of course, when the pressure in thefiller bowl diminishes to a value less than the pressure at regulator26, check valve 38 will open to admit gas from the source 22. As will beappreciated, controller 24 thus isolates regulator 26 from the fillerbowl 12. Furthermore, the controller 24 is piloted by the regulator 26.In addition, momentary turbulence in the filler bowl 12, as might tendto establish a liquid flow through the confluent channels of diaphragmvalve 36, will be confined largely within that structure; and any suchquantities of spurious liquid may drain back into the filler bowl fromthe confluent channels 66 and 74. Similarly, cleaning liquids drainreadily from the diaphragm valve 36 into the filler bowl 12; and it isrecognized that conduit 64 may be employed to introduce cleaning liquidinto the diaphragm valve and through the connected elements of thefilling system.

The specific embodiment herein shown and described is to be consideredas being primarily illustrative. Various changes beyond those describedwill, no doubt, occur to those skilled in the art; and such changes areto be understood as forming a part of this invention insofar as theyfall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. In a beverage filling apparatus, the improvement comprising: fillerbowl means including a vessel having a liquid space and a gas space offluctuating pressure over said liquid space; a source of gas underpressure; and a pressure controller including a first valve body havingfirst passageway means opening therethrough and connected to said vesselin communication with the gas space thereof, second passageway meansopening through said first valve body, a conduit connecting said secondpassageway means to said source of gas under pressure whereby toselectively introduce gas from said source into said vessel, a firstchannel in said first valve body connecting said first and secondpassageway means, and third passageway means opening through said firstvalve body to the atmosphere to define a vent, a second valve bodyconfronting said first valve body and having a cavity with an open endfacing toward said first valve body, said second valve body havingpassageway means connected to said conduit, a diaphragm member securedbetween said valve bodies on one side of said first channel for flexiblyclosing the open end of said cavity and cooperating with said thirdpassageway means in selectively opening and closing the vent definedthereby, biasing means in said cavity engaging said diaphragm member tourge said diaphragm member towa d said third passageway means, andcheck-valve means in said conduit between said second passageway meansand said second valve body passageway means operative to close saidconduit when fluid forces from said second passage- 40 way means exceedthe pressure of said gas source as a result of upward fluctuation in thepressure of said gas'space, whereby said diaphragm member is biased intothe vent-closing position by the sum of the forces of said biasing meansand the pressure of said gas source.

2. Apparatus according 'to claim 1 wherein said first valve bodyincludes an annular, vertically disposed seating land which surroundssaid third passageway means confronting said diaphragm member andwherein said first and second valve bodies mount said diaphragm memberin substantially vertical condition.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first and said secondpassageway means are diametrically disposed.

References Cited WILLIAM F. ODEA, Primary Examiner D. J. ZOBKIV,Assistant Examiner

